Should I do an all-white home makeover? The case for and against

Some like their homes bright, light and white, while others can’t resist a stop-you-in-your-tracks colour scheme. 

Architect Monique Woodward from Wowowa says colour provides a home with “warmth, texture, surprise, and personality”, while Melbourne-based designer Lynda Gardener says white creates “light, bright rooms that make a space feel larger and open”. 

Both are undeniably stylish, so which one would you choose? 

The case for an all-white renovation

Clean, spacious, quiet and minimal, white is considered the most enduring and perfect backdrop for an interior design scheme and is a go-to for many creatives, including Gardener, who uses it for all her projects. 

“I like a simple white palette that allows art, furniture and anything else to shine,” she says. “White never feels dull or gloomy; it brings more light and brightness into the home. If using colour, it must be very carefully considered because every element needs to work perfectly within those coloured walls.”

Choosing the right shade of white paint is critical – and there are many. Ensuring your selection is the right shade for your room depends on whether it has red, blue, yellow or green undertones and how its colour changes with the light. To ensure your white is right, test paint samples on your walls and monitor them throughout the day. Then, it’s about focusing on texture, shape and natural materials to make your white sing. 

“White is most impactful when the entire space and its objects are white, such as cloud-like sofas, light shades and floors, because it looks deliberate,” says Lauren Li from Sisalla Interior Design. Consider all-white contrasting textures like marble, V-groove walls, linen armchairs with sheepskin throws and Venetian plaster for warmth and tactility. “Add warm timbers, jute rugs and honed stone, and emphasise shape in the space using interesting lighting and sculptural furniture,” Li adds.

Gardener agrees. She always includes textures such as concrete or bagged brick walls, wood-lined ceilings and concrete benchtops.

A big plus for renovators choosing white is its timelessness and affordability. “I still find paint a cheap option for a quick change of interiors, and painting everything white tends not to date, whereas changing colour might occur more often,” Gardener says.

For the brave, Li recommends white-painted floorboards that brilliantly elevate an all-white scheme. “It looks amazing and feels so fresh,” says Li, who adds white sheer curtains for instant polish. “Buy white drapes from Amazon,” she suggests. “They are so affordable and will transform your space.”

The case for colour

“A white reno is like a big white flag of surrender,” says Kip & Co designer Alex McCabe, who says that, as a mum, life at home is all “rainbows, unicorns and sunshine”. 

“Happiness is a feeling played out in colour; there’s nothing white about it,” she says. “Colour impacts how you experience space and functionality. Anything white in my house is a red flag to tomato-sauce hands or a glass of red wine. It doesn’t end well.”

Woodward agrees and says our homes should reflect our world and daily life. “White is so stark and reflective … people say it’s a blank canvas, but who wants to always start from scratch? For me, contrasting or matching with the existing textures is more delightful.”  

Colour imbues a space with personality, modernity, fashion and happiness, says McCabe, who has used it in countless ways in her own homes over the years.

“I’ve had colourful wallpaper in the bunk room, terracotta wall tiles in the ‘fun’ room, tricoloured and pink island benches, a purple and green stone splashback, and a completely pink bathroom,” she says. 

Traditionally, an all-white space is considered a safe bet, while choosing a colourful scheme can feel intimidating. “Look down at the outfit you are wearing or select a bouquet to use as inspiration for your project,” Woodward suggests. “It’s fun. Life’s too short for boring spaces!”  

McCabe says colourful wallpaper or paint is the simplest way to transform any space, and statement decor is cost-effective and packs a punch. “A rug, couch throw, towel or new bedding brightens a home’s energy,” she says.

White is often considered the best choice for renovators on a tight budget, but Woodward disagrees, saying: “Painting a wall a colour versus white is the same cost – one is just safer.” 

Every season has its key trending colours, so is it important to choose a hue with longevity? “Everything dates, and so it should,” Woodward says. “It’s a myth that your reno could ever outlast the passage of time. It’s inherently time-stamped the minute you move in, and we love this. The patina of time is priceless.” 

McCabe agrees. “There is some risk in colour dating, but the best thing to do is what you love and makes you happy – you’ll never regret that.”